


A Little Halloween Spirit

by magumarashi



Series: PMD2 Writings [5]
Category: Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time & Explorers of Darkness & Explorers of Sky
Genre: Fluff, Halloween, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-01
Updated: 2018-11-01
Packaged: 2019-08-14 02:08:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16484051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magumarashi/pseuds/magumarashi
Summary: Dusknoir has never heard of Halloween. Hamlet is eager to fill him in.





	A Little Halloween Spirit

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to write something cute and fluffy! and I intended to post this on time but then all my mobage conspired to destroy me. Well, it's still Halloween somewhere.
> 
> If you're new here: this is set after the events of PMD2, in an AU where Dusknoir somehow ended up living in the present with everyone--look, it's complicated, here's [a summary of the context](https://magustorytime.wordpress.com/2015/06/28/pmd2/) if you're interested.
> 
> *the pokemon are represented here as humans, lmao
> 
> Art for this work can be found [here](http://magu-art.tumblr.com/post/179644882642/drew-and-wrote-something-super-self-indulgent-for)!

The sun dipped toward the horizon, throwing an orange glow over Treasure Town. Pokémon scurried here and there, trying to get the last of their errands in before night fell. There was excitement in the air: pumpkins and gourds lined the streets, and several shops had paper lanterns strung across their storefronts. A festive holiday was approaching, and everyone wanted to make sure their decorations were just right.

At Sharpedo Bluff, however, it might well have been an ordinary evening. Most of the team had not yet returned from their missions. Dusknoir, finding himself with a rare day off, sat leisurely at one of the workbenches with a book. He was still not quite used to having idle time; his life as a servant had left him few opportunities to do something for himself. In fact, if it hadn’t been for Hamlet forcing him to relax now and then, Dusknoir would have worked straight through the weeks without noticing.

He smiled to himself. Yet another thing for which he had Hamlet to thank.

As he turned the page, he heard the sound of the door opening and closing above. He stuck a feather in the book and closed it. Though he couldn’t see who had returned, he could tell exactly who it was from the weight of their steps on the stairs.

“Dusknoir!”

Dusknoir’s ears perked up at the sound of his lover’s voice. He turned around in his seat to greet him.

“Hamlet, welcome back—and. What on earth are you wearing?”

Hamlet grinned back at him, cheekily: he seemed to have dressed up in Dusclops-inspired garb, with bandages wrapped around his head and torso. Dusknoir recognized his old scarf wrapped around Hamlet’s neck.

“Happy Halloween!” the boy answered cheerily, throwing up his hands as if to mimic claws.

“Happy… I’m sorry, what?” said Dusknoir. “What is ‘Halloween?’”

“Huh? You don’t know?” Hamlet looked genuinely surprised. “It’s a festival for ghost-type Pokémon that happens every fall! We even had it in the human world, too—how could you not know?”

“We didn’t have this ‘Halloween’ in the future,” Dusknoir clarified. “Time and seasons held no meaning for us.”

“Ah…” said Hamlet. “Well, I think you’d like Halloween! It’s a holiday for playing pranks, and getting candy, and dressing up all spooky!”

“Am I not always spooky?” Dusknoir asked, a hint of playfulness in his tone.

“Well, yeah, but it’s a day for the rest of us to be spooky!” said Hamlet. “Here, I brought a costume for you, too!”

Hamlet came around to the front of the chair and thrust something into his partner’s hands. Dusknoir examined it, curiously: it appeared to be a black and red cape with a velvety sheen.

“There’s a red cravat, too, and some gloves,” Hamlet added.

“Would you like me to put them on?”

“.... yes…” said Hamlet shyly. “Halloween’s starting soon, so…”

“Alright. I’ll indulge you this once.”

Dusknoir rose from his seat, untying his grey cravat as he did. The cloak was easy enough to put on; it had a simple tie in the front. He fastened the new cravat around his neck, and changed his grey gloves for the new white ones. He walked over to the mirror to investigate the new style, and found that it was a rather flattering look. His usual brown waistcoat complemented the red better than he’d expected.

“Not bad at all,” he said, turning to admire the cloak from different angles. “It’s a rather dashing look… I’ll admit I’m not used to wearing such bright colors.”

Dusknoir caught Hamlet’s gaze in the mirror: the boy was looking at him as though he were a three-course meal.

“Ah, I think I see what’s going on here,” said Dusknoir, smiling coyly. He turned to face his partner. “I read once that humans have legends about so-called vampires—creatures that bite the necks of humans to suck their blood. And these vampires dress in red and black… ”

Hamlet looked away, face reddening.

“Could it be that you’d like _me_ to bite your neck…?”

“ _NO,”_ said Hamlet, defensively. A few seconds went by; he took a deep breath and added, more quietly, “Yes.”

“You need only ask, you know,” said Dusknoir. “There’s no need for such frivolous things as costumes. I’ll happily bite you wherever you like.”

“D-dusknoir…” Hamlet’s flush deepened. “That’s… okay, that’s not the whole reason I—”

“Oh? What else would you like me to do, wearing this?”

“You’re a real piece of work, you know that!!” Hamlet shot back. “If you _must_ know, I wanted to get all dressed up with you tonight, and go out and get candy and stuff…”

“And then come home and tear this costume off me as fast as you can?”

_“You’re not helping!!”_

Dusknoir’s smile widened into a grin. He so enjoyed watching Hamlet squirm.

“Alright, alright, I’ll stop teasing you,” he said. “This ‘Halloween’... are the costumes and pranks all there is to it?”

“Pretty much, yeah,” said Hamlet. “In the human world it started as a harvest festival to appease a legendary ghost-type Pokémon or something, but over time it turned into a holiday about spooks and pranks. Oh, and candy! It’s customary to give out candy.”

“Always a plus.”

“I was actually surprised that the Pokémon world had something similar,” said Hamlet. “Here it’s a holiday celebrating ghost-type Pokémon, since they’re so feared the rest of the year. Everyone decorates with pumpkins and paper lanterns.You even give out candy and gummies, too!”

“That sounds… fun,” said Dusknoir, after taking a moment to consider it. _Fun._

Before he met Hamlet, Dusknoir hadn’t really experienced “fun”. He’d had no leisure time for “fun” pursuits, nor, really, any concept of doing something purely for the enjoyment of it. He was either ordered to do something, or did so in anticipation of his master’s needs. Satisfying those needs, earning his master’s praise—that had brought him some kind of fulfilment, but in hindsight, it was not exactly “fun”. It was not “fun” in the way toying with Hamlet was, nor was it “fun” like spending time among good friends.

 _What a hollow life I used to lead_ , Dusknoir found himself thinking.

“Dusky?” Hamlet’s voice snapped him from his thoughts. “You awake there, buddy?”

“Yes, I’m fine,” said Dusknoir. He smiled. “I was simply lost in thought.”

“You do that a lot,” said Hamlet. He took his partner by the hand. “Come on, let’s get going. We wanna get there before all the candy runs out!”

“Of course. After you.”

The two of them headed up the stairs, hand in hand. The sun had dipped below the horizon now, and the air was cool and crisp. From the entrance to Sharpedo Bluff they were met with a view of the town, glowing with orange light and already buzzing with activity. Younger Pokémon ran from storefront to storefront in homemade costumes, their laughter filling the air. Older Pokémon could be seen milling around as well, purchasing special sweets or supervising their children. It wasn’t odd for Treasure Town to bustle like this, but tonight there was a particular playful energy absent the rest of the year.

“All this to celebrate ghost-type Pokémon?” said Dusknoir, puzzled. “Our kind typically prefer dark places… this kind of bright festival wouldn’t be our first choice.”

“Aw, don’t be a party pooper,” said Hamlet, tugging on Dusknoir’s hand. “It’ll be fun! Besides…” Hamlet looked up at him, putting on a more mature air, “I’d hate to go to a ghost-type festival without my favorite ghost-type Pokémon.”

Dusknoir flushed, in spite of himself.

“Aha, there it is,” said Hamlet with a cheeky grin.

“Oh, you little _rascal…!”_

Dusknoir made to ruffle the boy’s hair, and Hamlet dipped just out of reach, giggling to himself.

“So? You coming?”

Supposing he ought to concede, just this once, Dusknoir allowed his partner to lead the way.

Despite his best efforts to stay present, Dusknoir couldn’t help falling back into thought as Hamlet led him into Treasure Town. With Hamlet there, the garishly festive lights began to seem more inviting. Welcoming, even. Seeing his lover awash in the glow of paper lanterns, happy and laughing, made Dusknoir’s heart feel light.

_How strange. When I’m with you, even unfamiliar places feel like home._

  



End file.
